# ACT Coach vs Virtual Hope Box (new)

The clearest difference is rating: ACT Coach at 4.6 against Virtual Hope Box (new)'s 4.1. ACT Coach also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). Virtual Hope Box (new)'s advantage is update cadence (every 4 months vs every 14 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ACT Coach holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 16 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of ACT Coach's written reviews are positive against 71% of Virtual Hope Box (new)'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ACT Coach ships an update every 14 months, Virtual Hope Box (new) every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ACT Coach | Virtual Hope Box (new) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/act-coach/id804247934/reviews)** | [4.1 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-hope-box-new/id6477622019/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 16 | 16 |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **71.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 28 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)](https://appshunter.io/developer/430646305) | [Defense Health Agency](https://appshunter.io/developer/1264687017) |

## What reviewers say

### ACT Coach

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/act-coach/id804247934)

This app helps users practice Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to manage difficult thoughts and feelings. It provides exercises, tools, and tracking logs to support living a value-driven life. Developed in consultation with therapists, it's designed for individuals undergoing ACT.

**Highlights:** ACT exercises, Tools for managing thoughts, Commitment to values, Tracking logs, Information on ACT

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Virtual Hope Box (new)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-hope-box-new/id6477622019)

This app provides tools to help users cope with difficult emotions, relax, and engage in positive thinking. It allows for personalized content creation with loved ones and therapists, offering distraction techniques and guided exercises.

**Highlights:** Multimedia content storage, Personalized coping cards, Positive activity planning, Distraction tools, Guided relaxation exercises, Controlled breathing techniques

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ACT Coach free?

ACT Coach is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Virtual Hope Box (new) free?

Virtual Hope Box (new) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ACT Coach or Virtual Hope Box (new)?

ACT Coach is rated higher. ACT Coach averages 4.6 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Virtual Hope Box (new) averages 4.1 from 16 ratings.

### Do ACT Coach or Virtual Hope Box (new) have ads?

Neither ACT Coach nor Virtual Hope Box (new) shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ACT Coach or Virtual Hope Box (new)?

ACT Coach ships an update every 14 months, and Virtual Hope Box (new) every 4 months. Most recently, ACT Coach was updated on October 25, 2026 and Virtual Hope Box (new) on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*